


Dachshund Through The Snow

by bagelexpress



Series: Who Let The Dogs Out [2]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Meet the Family, Multi, fareeha is the mastermind behind everything, is that the ship name? idk, just some festive family fun, she sneaky, side gency and symmpharah
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-05
Updated: 2017-04-10
Packaged: 2018-09-06 17:36:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8762569
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bagelexpress/pseuds/bagelexpress
Summary: Sneaking kisses under the mistletoe gets a little harder when you're staying with your boyfriend's family, but something told Hanzo that this would be the least of his worries.





	1. The Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> well it happened. i told y'all it was going to happen and it did. somehow.  
> so this is the sequel to the one-shot Dog Days, which you don't need to read to understand this but you should anyway because it's cute.  
> the response to that has been absolutely incredible bless you all and i hope you like this one as much as you did the first!  
> enjoy!

The apartment was cold, even for December. Hanzo had the heating up almost all the way and was bundled up in two blankets, and it still wasn’t quite enough. Not for the first time that day, Hanzo found himself wishing Jesse was there to share his warmth with. There was more than one way to get warm.  
Footsteps sounded down the hall, and Genji finally emerged from his room for the first time that day. He grinned as he passed into the living area and saw Hanzo curled up in the armchair, the dogs slumbering on the rug before him.  
“You thinking about your man again?” he asked knowingly.  
Hanzo blinked, breaking out of his reverie.  
“Hmm?” he frowned. “How did you know?”  
Genji shook his head as he turned into their nook of a kitchen and began to rummage in the fridge.  
“You get this dreamy look on your face,” he shrugged. “I think it’s cute.”  
“Shut up.” Hanzo scowled at him, but it fell short in the face of Genji’s grin.  
“When do I get to meet him, anyway?” Genji asked, pulling away from the fridge, carton of juice in hand.  
Hanzo paused in the act of turning the page of the book in his hand.  
“Should that not be ‘ _will_ I get to meet him’?” he corrected smoothly.  
“Hanzo,” Genji began with the air of a man who’d been preparing this argument. “We _live together._ If you ever wanna get down and dirty with him, you gotta bring him back here. And honestly, would you rather I met him before or after the awkward next morning dance in the kitchen?”  
Hanzo sighed, closing his book on his thumb to keep the page.  
“I see your point, Genji, and you _will_ get to meet him. Just… not yet.”  
That made Genji frown, but he knew better than to push the subject. Hanzo was… touchy about it at the best of times, and something told Genji that _this_ was certainly not the best time.  
He poured himself a glass of juice, searching for a way to rescue the conversation. Fortunately, Hanzo beat him to it.  
“So, where are you going?” Hanzo asked lightly, reopening his book. “Do you have another date?”  
Genji shook his head through a mouthful of orange juice.  
“Nah, Ang is at work all day.” he sighed. “She won't be done til late.”  
“But you _are_ going out?”  
“I was gonna head into town for a bit.” Genji threw over his shoulder, shoving the juice carton back into the fridge.  
Hanzo raised his head to study Genji’s expression.  
“You still haven’t found a good gift for her?”  
Genji sighed again, long and deep.  
“No, I haven’t, and it’s driving me crazy.” he threw out his arms in exasperation. “I’ve looked everywhere!”  
Hanzo lifted a shoulder in a half-shrug.  
“I'm sure you’ll figure it out.” he assured. “You always get the best gifts for me.”  
“Yeah, well you're my brother.” Genji muttered, moving back out into the front room. “I'm not trying to make sure you still like me.”  
“That's good then,” Hanzo replied with a small grin. “Because sometimes you fail miserably.”  
He ducked the swat aimed at his head as Genji passed behind him on the way to the door.

  
“Oh, and if you’re going out…”  
Hanzo called at Genji’s repeating back.  
Genji looked over in the middle of shrugging on his coat, seeing the twin leashes being held up so nonchalantly by Hanzo, still apparently engrossed in his book. Scowled, Genji turned back into the room.  
“You planned this, didn’t you?” he said accusatorily, snatching the leads up. The dogs bounded up from where they lay sprawled on the hearth, tiny claws clattering across the hard floor to nip at Genji’s legs.  
“Not at all,” Hanzo replied, with just a hint of smugness. “Pure coincidence.”  
“I’m sure.” Genji scoffed as he bent to attach the leashes to their respective dogs.  
Hanzo’s not-so-subtle chuckle followed him out into the cold.

* * *

Hanzo maintained his pose for a few minutes after the door closed behind his brother. Once he was certain the door wouldn't swing open again, Hanzo leapt to his feet, abandoning his book prop to the floor. He fumbled in his pocket for his phone, almost tripping over the rug on his way to the window.  
Dialling furiously, Hanzo peered out from behind the blinds, searching for a hint of that distinctive green mop of hair.  
The ringing disappeared, and was replaced by the soothing sounds of Jesse’s voice.  
“Hey darlin’,” he greeted. “What’s up?”  
“My brother’s going present shopping all day.” Hanzo told him, watching the speck of green accompanied by two smaller brown ones, travel further and further away from the apartment. “He took the dogs.”  
A moment of silence, just enough time for a single heartbeat, and Jesse’s voice came back, lower than before.  
“Give me five minutes.”  
Hanzo ended the call, shoving his phone back into his pocket. He pushed away from the window, racing across the front room and snatching up couch cushions and throw blankets in record time.  
He gathered up everything he could find, bundling it into his room and leaving it haphazardly heaped on his bed. Making his way back into the front room, he flicked the switch to the kettle and pulled two mugs from a low cupboard. Hanzo set about gathering spoons, teabags, coffee granules, and milk, lining them up on the kitchen counter. Once ingredients had been deposited into the correct cups, he left the kettle boiling and headed back through into his room.  
Hanzo positioned the couch cushions to surround his own, forming a halo of mismatched coloured cases. The extra blankets he laid across his duvet, taking care to set the comforter aside. By the time he’d made everything satisfactory, a deep bubbling sound had started up in the other room. Hanzo made it back into the kitchen just as the kettle switch popped up to let him know the water was fully boiled.  
The angry frothing quelled as he poured water into each cup, careful not to spill anything. He set the kettle down, clicking it into place just as the buzzer sounded on the wall beside the door.  
Hanzo hurried over, pressing the button that would unlock the door. A soft Southern “thank you” sounded through the com before the sound of the door closing filtered through. Hanzo sighed happily, wandering back across to the counter and carefully picking up the steaming mugs.  
The front door inched open, Jesse’s head peering around into the front room. His face lit up when he saw Hanzo approaching him, a mug in each hand. Jesse stepped into the room, closing the door behind him. He leant down, dropping a soft kiss on Hanzo’s cheek. Hanzo leant into it, just shy of pushing up onto his tiptoes. Jesse pulled back, Hanzo absently rocking forward with him.  
“You said give you five minutes.” Hanzo hummed, as he straightened up.  
Jesse smirked as he shrugged off his coat. “Looks like I only needed three.”  
His expression melted into something softer as Hanzo pressed the red mug into his hands. He brought it up to his nose, taking a deep breath in with a contented hum.   
“Mmm, that’s good.” Jesse sighed, prying a hand off the warm porcelain to loop around Hanzo’s waist. Hanzo did the same, turning so they were side by side. They made their way down the hall, Jesse’s thumb rubbing small circles along Hanzo’s hip.  
Once in the comfort of Hanzo’s room, they pulled away again to make their way to separate sides of the bed. Jesse set his mug on the nightstand, swapping it for the comforter Hanzo had left out, promptly wrapping it around himself. He kicked off his shoes and clambered onto the bed, settling back against the pillows with a sigh.  
Hanzo followed suit, picking up the remote for the television and turning it on, before slipping under the covers alongside Jesse.  
“So,” Jesse began, settling against Hanzo’s side. “What’s our choices today?”  
Hanzo chuckled, navigating to the movies tab of his guide.  
“I do know that Disney was advertising 101 Dalmatians earlier today.”  
Jesse considered for a moment, before nodding.  
“Seems appropriate.”

* * *

“... and then, he lumps these guys on me!” Genji finished, slurping the last sugary drops out of his cup. The now-cold chocolatey powder stained the bottom of the mug, and he scooped it into a pile in the middle of the porcelain.  
Across the counter from him, Fareeha gave a low whistle.  
“Yeah, my brother does that to me sometimes.” she said, wiping down the counter with a cloth. “It's really not fair.”  
Genji shrugged. “Well actually, it _was_ my turn to walk them. I kind of owe him for taking that extra shift so I could take Ang out on a date.”  
“You two still going strong then?”  
“Yep, for about a month now.” Genji nodded, sliding his empty mug to the side.  
“A month, huh?” Fareeha repeated curiously. “And it was your first date when your brother took that extra walking shift?”  
Genji frowned a little.  
“Yeah… uh, why?”  
“Oh, no reason!” Fareeha smiled, taking Genji’s mug over to the sink. “So what's so special about today?”  
Genji groaned, dropping his head in his hands.  
“Oh god… I was hoping today would be the day I _finally_ found the perfect gift for Angela.”  
“No luck?”  
“Zip.” 

He straightened up again, leaning his elbows on the counter.  
“Any suggestions?” he asked forlornly. “I need all the help I can get.”  
“Well…” Fareeha began, joining him back at the counter. “If Satya was going to get _me_ something, I'd want it to be special. Something unique that only we understood. But it'd have to be pretty.”  
Genji furrowed his brows again.  
“What?” Fareeha shrugged. “So I’m a little superficial, big deal.”  
Genji laughed at that. Then, he heaved a sigh.  
“Shit, I best be getting home then.” he muttered. “Any chance of two for the road?”  
Farheea grinned knowingly.  
“No problem.” she replied, pulling two take away cups from the pile. She set about making Genji’s usual drinks, another hot chocolate and a green tea. She scrawled Genji’s name across the first cup, before moving to do the same with the second. A thought struck her, and she paused, cup in hand, pen-tip inches from the cardboard.  
“What's up?” Genji asked, noticing her hesitance.  
“Hmm?” Fareeha started, glancing back quickly before scribbled on the second cup. “God, sorry. I was off in my own world there.”  
She laughed, and Genji joined in good-naturedly. Once both drinks were done, Fareeha placed into a holder and putting it on the counter with a smile.  
“There you go.”  
“Ah, thanks Fareeha.” Genji grinned, passing over the money. He picked up the cups, making to turn away from the counter. “I'll see you later.”  
“Oh, wait!” Fareeha exclaimed, pulling out her Sharpie, and a cardboard cup holder from the pile. “I almost forgot, my family's having a party later this month, you and Angela should totally stop by. Here's the date and address.”  
She held out the cup holder, and Genji took it gratefully.  
“Yeah, sounds great!” Genji grinned, peering at the words scrawled across the cardboard. “I’ll see you there!”  
He called to his dogs, reaching down to scratch their heads for a moment, before heading towards the door. He turned to send a wave back at Fareeha before the tinkling bell signalled his exit.  
Fareeha still leant on the coffee shop counter, a calculating smirk playing across her features. The dogs, the brother… she couldn't believe she hadn't seen it before.

* * *

“Well how ‘bout that,” Jesse said, stretching his arms above his head. “We actually made it through a whole movie this time.”  
“Yes,” Hanzo mused from where he lay burrowed into Jesse’s side. “ _You_ managed to pay attention, and _I_ don't have to change my sheets. An achievement for the both of us.”  
Jesse chuckled, his arm coming down to wrap around Hanzo’s shoulders.  
“It's just a shame we can't do this more often.”  
Hanzo hummed happily into Jesse’s chest.  
“We will, soon enough.” he assured. “It’s just bad timing.”  
At the lack of response, he glanced up at Jesse’s thoughtful expression.  
“What are you thinking about?” Hanzo asked with a nudge.  
“Hmm? Oh, nothin’!” Jesse laughed, giving Hanzo an extra squeeze. “Anyway, I came over for a reason.”  
“Besides Disney movies?”  
“Besides Disney movies, though they're a happy side effect.” Jesse conceded. “My ma’s got a proposition for you.”  
“Your mother?” Hanzo asked in surprise, pushing himself up to look over at Jesse.  
“Yeah, see she’s having this party and she asked me to invite you.” he began. “But then she realised you might not want to ‘cause the only person you’ll know is me.”  
Hanzo watched him talk, a slight frown on his face.  
“So, she was wonderin’ if you’d wanna stay with us over the holiday?” Jesse asked, almost shyly, staring intently at his twining fingers. “We’ve got some family over but there’s plenty of room. You’d get to know everyone, and we could have more time to ourselves.”  
“That…” Hanzo began slowly, thinking it over. “That actually sounds really good. But I’ll have to talk to Genji first. I don't really want to leave him alone during the holidays.”  
“Of course, darlin’.” Jesse said with a soft smile. “You're still coming to the party though.”  
“Of course.” Hanzo repeated, returning the smile. Then he sighed. “Speaking of Genji, he'll be back soon.”  
Jesse grimaced. “Yeah… I’ll help you tidy up.”

* * *

Genji fumbled with the handle a little before he managed to open the door, releasing a cascade of furry bodies into the apartment. The dogs tumbled over each other in their rush to greet Hanzo, who was laid across the big sofa, apparently texting.  
“Hey,” Hanzo called over as he pushed himself into a sitting position. “How'd it go? Any luck?”  
He grinned at the dogs as they hopped up to rest their front paws on the cushions, reaching down to ruffle their ears fondly. Genji set the drinks down on the side table as he slipped out of his coat.  
“Still nothing.” He sighed. “But I do have some kind of idea of what I want to get her. I just need to find it now.”  
“Well that's something at least.” Hanzo pointed out as Genji made his way over. “Ah, thank you.”  
He took the offered drink gratefully. Genji flopped into the now-vacant armchair. The room was silent for a moment as Hanzo sipped his tea, Genji staring absently up at the ceiling.  
“So,” Hanzo began tentatively, breaking the silence. Genji looked up from where he lay half-on half-off the armchair. “I've just been speaking to... you know, and he's invited me round to meet his family.”  
Genji sat up with a grin. “Ooh get you, meeting the parents.”  
Hanzo scoffed, though he couldn't help but smile.  
“Yes, well the only problem is, I’d be staying with them for a week.” he went on. “And I wouldn't want to leave you alone for the holiday, so if you don't want me to I won't go-.”  
“Oh my god, go!” Genji exclaimed, shooting upwards in the chair. Hanzo frowned a little at the swift reply, and Genji backtracked quickly.  
“Well, I mean it'll be good for you, getting to know everyone.” he rambled. “And hey, if you meet his family it might be an incentive to introduce him to yours.”  
“Alright, fair point.” Hanzo allowed. “But are you sure you'll be fine with it?”  
Genji waved away the concerns.  
“Of course I’ll be fine!” he insisted. “I won't be alone anyway. I've got Angela now, haven't I?”  
At that, Soseji trotted over and leapt up onto Genji’s lap. Genji laughed, ruffling the dog’s ears.  
“Yes, and you!” he agreed. “How could I forget?”  
Hanzo looked on with an uncertain smile.  
“Well, if you're sure…”  
“Hanzo, come on,” Genji rolled his eyes. “It'll be _fine._ Go have fun, for god’s sake.”  
Hanzo chuckled at that, bringing the take away cup back to his lips.  
“Alright, alright.” he conceded. 

“Good.” Genji said with an air of finality. The room fell into amicable silence once again.  
“Can I at least know his name?”  
“Genji!”  
“Okay, okay.” Genji conceded, raising his hands in peace. “I’ll leave it alone.”  
Hanzo eyed him shrewdly. “Good.” 

“Well, I'm going to go have a shower,” Genji announced. “It's freezing, Jesus.”  
He deposited Soseji in Hanzo’s lap, ignoring the protests of both Hanzo and Ardala (who had already made herself comfortable), and set off down the hall.  
Once in the safety of his room, Genji pulled out his phone, firing off a quick text to Angela.  
**‘ _Free house for a week. You in? - G’_**  
He left the phone on his bed, not expecting a reply until late, what with how busy he knew Angela was. He jumped when it pinged almost immediately, rushing over to read the reply.  
**_'Hell yeah! - A’_**


	2. Day 1

“Oh, I'm going to miss you.”  
“Yeah, Han, I’ll miss you too.” Genji smiled.  
Hanzo looked up from where he crouched beside his dog.  
“I was talking to Ardala…” he pointed out.  
“...What, I can't tell my bro I’ll miss him without being prompted?” Genji asked, affronted.  
Hanzo chuckled, standing up.  
“I will miss you also, brother.” he assured.  
His tone took on a concerned note.  
“You do know where everything is?” Hanzo asked. “The dog food, the towels, the spare toilet roll?”  
Genji rolled his eyes.  
“Hanzo, you’re acting as if I haven’t lived here just as long as you have,” he sighed. “I know where everything goes.”  
Hanzo frowned.  
“Oh, so then you know where the dirty dishes go?”  
“Yeah, in the sink. Why?”  
“I'm just wondering, since you never seem to put them in their proper place.”  
Genji groaned.  
“How long did you say you were going for, Han? Just a week? Shame.” he shook his head, clicking his tongue.  
Hanzo scowled, though the effect was ruined by the smile that he couldn't keep hidden.  
“Now, go on.” said Genji, ushering Hanzo off the doorstep. “Your boyf is waiting.”  
“Alright, alright…” Hanzo grasped the handle of his suitcase and hauled it along the hall behind him. “I will see you in a week.”  
“Bye, Han,” Genji called after him. “Hit ‘em with that Shimada charm!”  
Hanzo shook his head at that, smiling as he heard the door swing shut behind him.

Inside the apartment, Genji mirrored his brother’s smile, turning into the now empty-looking front room. He glanced down at the dachshunds pawing at his legs, his smile freezing on his face as he realised.  
“Shit, where _is_ the dog food?”

Hanzo’s suitcase trundled along the pavement as he turned the corner of the apartment block. He spotted the car, right where Jesse said it would be, and made straight for it. Already half-climbing out of the driver’s side, was the ruggedly rustic man that Hanzo had been pining for.   
“Hey, sugar,” Jesse called, closing the car door behind him. “You all set?”  
“I think so,” Hanzo nodded, already feeling his cheeks heat up at the mere sight of the other man.   
Jesse opened up the trunk, helping Hanzo to load his suitcase inside.   
“You don’ have a lot of stuff here, Han.” Jesse observed. “You sure it's enough.”   
“It will be,” Hanzo assured. “I've mastered travelling light.”   
Jesse chuckled.  
“If you're sure, it's good enough for me.” he said, closing the boot. “Shall we?”  
Hanzo slipped into the passenger seat, buckling the seat belt as Jesse did the same.   
“Ready?” he asked, his hand crossing the console to alight reassuringly on Hanzo’s knee.   
Hanzo took a deep breath.   
“As I’ll ever be.” he replied.  
Jesse smiled, patting Hanzo’s knee gently, before taking hold of the steering wheel.

The drive was a short one, what with Jesse only living on the outskirts of town. Hanzo sat restlessly the whole way there, comforted somewhat by Jesse’s deep humming of a slow tune that Hanzo didn't quite recognise.   
By the time Jesse pulled up outside one of the many houses lining the street, Hanzo had shredded one barely-used tissue, and had started on another. Jesse cut the engine, smiling across at the mess Hanzo had made in his lap. One large hand settled over the nervous digits, quelling the movements. Hanzo looked back at Jesse, dropping the rag and grasping Jesse’s hand.   
“This is it.” Jesse said, bringing Hanzo’s cold hand up to press against his lips.  
Hanzo let out a long breath, trying not to look past Jesse and at the looming residence out. He nodded decisively.

The house looked big, though that may have just been Hanzo’s nerves getting the better of him. For all he knew, it could have been a sweet little cottage, but the trepidation made it seem like an impenetrable fortress. Just as it was beginning to become a bit too much for Hanzo to bear, a warm, reassuring weight alighted on the small of his back. He looked up into Jesse’s protective gaze, relaxing into his touch.

“You sure you're okay, sugar?” Jesse asked, his brow creasing in concern. “If this is too soon, if we’re moving too fast, you can say so. They’ll understand.”  
Hanzo shook his head, sending Jesse a soft smile.   
“You are fine, Jesse.” he assured. “I’m just nervous. But if you are beside me...” he leant up, pressing a kiss to Jesse’s cheek.  
“...Then I can face anything.”

Jesse grinned the dopey smile that Hanzo loved so much, the hand vanishing from Hanzo’s back to take hold of his chin. Hanzo leant in for another kiss, his own hand rising involuntarily.   
“Your nose is red,” he observed with a smile.  
Jesse chuckled in response. He pulled back slightly, and Hanzo swayed forward unthinkingly. For a moment, he thought that Jesse was going to step away and that would be it. But Jesse never disappointed. He brushed a strand of hair away from Hanzo’s face, Hanzo gazing back at him with a look he knew was disgustingly sappy.  
Jesse closed the distance between them in an instant. It caught Hanzo slightly off-guard but he didn’t care. He relaxed into Jesse’s firm arms, for a moment letting himself forget what lay ahead of him.  
When Jesse pulled away again, far too soon in Hanzo’s opinion, Hanzo couldn’t help the small keen he made in protest. Jesse laughed softly at Hanzo’s eagerness.  
“Come on Han, it’s too cold to stay out here.” he prompted gently.   
Hanzo hummed, frowning slightly though he knew Jesse was right. He nodded, conceding.  
“Okay,” he said, taking Jesse’s hand in his own and pulling it down to his side. “Let’s go.”

They crunched up the path to Jesse’s house, frost making the gravel glimmer in the weak sunlight.  
Jesse had to let go of Hanzo’s hand to get the door, his other one preoccupied with pulling Hanzo’s suitcase along after them.

As Jesse reached for the handle, the front door swung open, seemingly of its own accord. There, stood in the doorway like a herald of the fundamentally mischievous, was an impish grinning Fareeha. She looked between the two of them standing dumbstruck on the threshold, before letting loose an incredulous snort.   
“Couldn't even wait to get him in the house, huh Jess?” she sighed. “Are you sure you're gonna last a whole week?”   
Jesse attempted a scowl, but the underlying smirk was too strong to stay hidden.   
“Come on, Fareeha let us in.” Jesse huffed. “It's freezing out here.”  
“I'm sure you'll find a way to warm up.” Fareeha quipped cheekily.  
She danced out of the way of Jesse’s playful swat, freeing up the doorway for them to slip inside.   
Fareeha was already (loudly) announcing their arrival to whoever else occupied the large house. She shot a wink over at Hanzo as he held the door open for Jesse, before perching on the back of a sofa to their right.  
Hanzo stood awkwardly just inside the door, waiting to take his cues from Jesse. He followed suit when Jesse slipped his boots off, setting both pairs of shoes neatly by the door. A great clattering started up from the doorway directly opposite them, which, from the various cabinets that Hanzo could see, he assumed was the kitchen.

The woman who strode out of the doorway was anything but domestic. Hanzo was two nerves shy of stepping behind Jesse for protection when she emerged. Whilst Hanzo wasn't one for shying away from conflict, right now, he was paper and she was steel; she could rip him to shreds in a second.   
But when she gasped happily and threw out her arms, all of that trepidation melted away.   
“You're here!” Ms Amari exclaimed, moving further into the room. “Come in, out of the cold!”  
Jesse closed the front door behind him. A gentle hand on the small of Hanzo’s back and they were moving into the middle of the combination hall and front room.   
Ms Amari took Jesse’s face in her hands, smushing his cheeks between her fingers.   
“Ma, I was _just_ here,” Jesse mumbled. “I've been gone for like, two minutes.”  
Hanzo stifled a chuckle as Jesse’s mother let go of his cheeks, smiling good-naturedly.   
Jesse rubbed his face ruefully, the wires of his prosthetic whirring as his fingers moved in circles above his beard. His other arm came up around Hanzo’s waist, pulling him forward.   
“Ma, this is Hanzo.”   
The comforting touch on Hanzo’s hip reassured him and, remembering Genji’s advice, he moved in with what he hoped was a winning smile.   
“It is an honour to meet you.” He greeted, [how tf would he greet ana? handshake? kiss on the cheek? who knows?? not me]  
Ms Amari raised her eyebrows at Jesse.   
“So polite,” she observed. “I'm impressed.”  
Jesse beamed, and Hanzo hoped that the chill from outside was enough to hide his flush.   
“Well Hanzo, come on in and sit down and I’ll get you both a hot drink.” Ms Amari continued. “Fareeha, will you come help?”  
Fareeha groaned from the sidelines where she'd been watching the whole exchange.   
“Sure, because the one thing a barista wants to do on her break is make coffee.”  
One look from her mother, and Fareeha was pushing herself away from the sofa she leant against.   
As she followed her mother into the kitchen, Hanzo heard her ask;  
“So, how come Hanzo gets to stay over but Satya doesn't?”  
“Because Hanzo isn't 19 years old, Fareeha.” came the quick reply from her mother.

And suddenly, Hanzo and Jesse were alone. Jesse whistled lowly.   
“Well, thank god that's out of the way.” he grinned, pulling Hanzo into a sideways hug. Hanzo sagged against him, letting loose a relieved sigh. “You alright hun?”  
Hanzo nodded, straightening up.   
“I am good,” he assured in slight surprise. “That went… better than I thought it would.”  
“Aww Han,” Jesse laced their fingers together, leading Hanzo into the rectangle of sofas that made up the majority of the living room. “I knew you'd dazzle ‘em no matter what.”  
Hanzo smiled despite himself, leaning his forehead against Jesse’s chest.   
“You were nervous too.” Hanzo pointed out.   
Jesse hummed quietly.   
“Not about you. I was more worried that my ma was going to ruin my stellar reputation.” He grimaced. “You saw the hello she gave me.”  
Hanzo laughed softly.  
“Trust me,” he began, untangling one hand to wrap his arm around Jesse’s waist. “You have nothing to worry about.”

“Anyway,” Jesse cleared his throat, pulling away. “Grab a seat before Fareeha takes over an entire sofa for her cat nap.”   
He stepped away, turning to retrieve a small side table from beneath a slightly larger side table.  
Hanzo glanced around briefly before settling for the nearest seat, perching precariously on the edge of the two-seater facing the fireplace.   
“Ah, a good choice Han.” said Jesse, setting the table down beside Hanzo before flopping onto the cushions next to him. “But, uh, don't you think you're moving a little too fast?”  
Hanzo frowned over at him.   
“What do you mean?” Hanzo asked, confused. “You told me to sit down-”  
Jesse shook his head.   
“I'm messin’ with you Han,” he laughed. “This couch pulls out into a bed. It's where we’ll be sleeping.”  
“Oh! I see.”  
“Yeah, my uncle always comes to stay with us around the holidays and I give him my room.” explained Jesse. “And also, I think my ma wants us where she can keep an eye on us without a door being in the way. It's not that she doesn't trust us, it's just that she doesn't trust me.”  
Jesse laughed again. Hanzo laughed at his joke, though he could understand Ms Amari’s sentiment.   
“I can see where she's coming from. You are the dastardly sort.”  
Jesse mock-gasped, clutching his chest.   
“You wound me, pumpkin.”   
The kitchen door opened, and out came Fareeha and her mother, both with a drink in each hand.   
Fareeha came around into the sofa square, offering one of her mugs to Hanzo.   
“Ah, thank you,” he said, taking the cup gratefully.   
Ms Amari have her second cup to Jesse, who sat up to accept it.   
Hanzo cradled his drink in both hands, savouring the warmth. He brought it up to his face, breathing in the scent.   
“Wait…” he glanced between Jesse’s strong coffee and his own drink. “This is green tea?  
Fareeha looked at him over the rim of her own mug.   
“Yeah, well I know you like it so I got some in for you.” she explained.   
Hanzo paused, touched by the gesture.   
“You didn't have to do that for me…” he said softly. “Thank you, Fareeha.”  
“You're welcome,” she shrugged. “It wasn't a problem.”  
Hanzo smiled to himself, settling back into his seat. Fareeha shared a secret smile with her mother.

“So Ma, when's Uncle Rein coming up?” Jesse asked, setting his mug on the repositioned end table.   
Ms Amari took a sip from her teacup before answering.  
“He's not sure when he’ll be done with work, so it could be at any time.”  
Jesse nodded in understanding.  
“So… if he won't be here for a while, does that mean Han and I can-”  
“No it does not.” came the curt reply. Ms Amari sat back in her armchair with an air of finality. “We’ll be ready for him no matter when he turns up.”  
Jesse titled his head towards Hanzo, shrugging nonchalantly.   
“Worth a shot.” He grinned.  
Hanzo shook his head with a soft chuckle. As Jesse settled back into his seat, Hanzo took a tentative sip of his tea. He sighed contentedly.

“I must say Hanzo, I'm surprised you could join us so readily.”  
Ms Amari remarked. “Were your family not reluctant to let you go for the whole holiday?”  
“Oh, no not really.” replied Hanzo, cradling his mug close to his chest. “It's usually just my brother and I, and he seemed very eager to be rid of me.”  
“Oh, really?”   
Hanzo nodded, more to himself than the room at large.   
“I suppose I can't really blame him. This is his first holiday with his new girlfriend.” he explained. “Naturally, he'll want to spend time with her.”  
He smiled softly as Jesse’s arm slipped around his shoulders.  
“Though, it did work out well for me…”

“Well, we’re very happy to have you with us.” Ms Amari affirmed. “I hope you don't mind our particular way of celebrating the holiday.”  
“Oh I don't mind,” Hanzo assured. “My brother and I don't exactly celebrate in the typical way. It will be nice to experience it differently.”

“Tell us Hanzo, what is a typical Christmas like in your home?”  
“It's a quiet affair usually,” Hanzo began thoughtfully. “Since it's only the two of us, we don't really do anything extravagant. And we don't really celebrate _Christmas_ per se. It's more… being thankful for each other, and celebrating our relationships. We do get a tree, but only because when my brother was younger he really, really wanted to decorate one. So it kind of became a tradition.”  
“That's not so different to what we do.” Fareeha pointed out. “Except, of course, we don't have a tree.”  
“What other traditions do you have, Hanzo?” Ms Amari asked, curious.   
“Well, we exchange a gift, usually something we’ve noticed the other person needs…” Hanzo said. “Then we walk the dogs together. And then when we come home, we make Christmas cake. When it's finished, we eat it while watching movies.”  
“Christmas cake?” Jesse piped up with interest.   
Hanzo nodded.   
“Yes, it's something we have always done.” he explained. “We make a sponge cake with strawberries and whipped cream on top.”  
“Ooh, that sounds delicious.” Jesse licked his lips involuntarily. A second later, a great rumbling went up from his stomach.  
“Heheh, oops.” he grinned, patting his belly.

Ms Amari sighed.   
“Well, Jesse’s stomach has spoken. I had best make dinner.” She said, rising from her chair.   
“Do you need any help, Ma?” Fareeha asked, making to stand.  
“No, no, I can manage.”  
Fareeha easily translated her mother’s words into ‘ _keep an eye on those two_ ’, so she settled back into her seat as Ms Amari exited into the kitchen once again.

“So, what kind of things do you normally do for Christmas?” Hanzo asked, glancing between the two siblings with interest.  
“Well, we’re kind of like you in that we don’t really celebrate the holiday itself.” Jesse began. “But we kinda took some of the things from it, like gift giving and the annual party we throw.”  
“That's mostly because it's really the only time everyone can get together.” Fareeha pointed out. “With how commercial this holiday is now, almost everyone is off work and school.”  
“Which is why Uncle Rein can come stay with us.” added Jesse.  
“Reinhardt’s not our real uncle,” Fareeha put in. “He’s an old friend of our ma’s, but he’s around so much he’s practically family.”   
Jesse nodded solemnly in agreement.   
“Family doesn’t end with blood.” he conceded.  
Hanzo sensed that there was something more behind that statement, though he didn’t deign to pry.  
“I'm surprised you didn't bring your pup with you, Hanzo,” Fareeha began, reigniting the conversation. “I can't really imagine you without her.”  
Hanzo sighed sadly.   
“Yes, I miss her already,” he replied. “I was loathe to leave her but I didn't want to impose with an extra body.”  
“Aw, c’mon Han, we’re all animal lovers in here,” Jesse laughed. “We would have loved to have her.”  
Hanzo shook his head fondly at Jesse.  
“Yes well, as much as I wished to bring her, I fear she would be opposed to the idea of leaving her brother behind,” he explained. “She may act as though she doesn't care, but she is quite fond of him.”  
“Yeah, I can relate,” Fareeha mused. “Except for the bit about ‘fondness’, not sure on that one.”  
Jesse frowned. “So the only bit you agree with is ‘pretending not to care’?”  
“....Yes?”  
Fareeha tried to look affronted, but Jesse’s laugh was infectious, and soon enough she was grinning through her insistence of, “Stop it, it’s really not funny.”

Hanzo sat back, closely dodging a playful swat meant for Jesse, and pondered exactly what he was getting into with this family. And while he watched the two of them trade barbs back and forth, he found that whatever it turned out to be, he knew he wouldn’t mind one bit.

* * *

The room was quiet, quieter than it had been all night. Hanzo lay staring up in the general direction of the distant ceiling, thinking about all that had conspired. The form lying beside him rolled over with a sigh.  
“You okay, Han?” Jesse asked in sleepy concern.  
“Hmm?” Hanzo glanced over at him. “Yes, I’m alright. I'm just… a little shaken up.”  
Jesse chuckled nervously.  
“C’mon they're not that bad… are they?”  
“No, your family seem wonderful,” Hanzo assured. “It's just a new experience for me. I have never done anything like this before.”  
Jesse blinked in surprise, propping himself up to look at Hanzo properly.  
“You've never met a boyfriend’s family before?” he asked.  
Hanzo shook his head, turning to meet Jesse’s gaze.  
“No, never. Is that weird?”  
Jesse shrugged his one free shoulder, the other propping him up on the pillows.  
“I’m not too sure myself.” he admitted. “I'm not exactly experienced in that area.”  
“What, boyfriends?” Hanzo asked.  
Jesse nodded.  
“To be fair, my last one lasted quite a while.”  
“Strange, mine always seem to be the opposite.” Hanzo mused. “Short-lived.”  
“Guess neither of us have had that much luck.” Jesse observed, lying back down.  
“Yes, well,” sighed Hanzo, rolling onto his front and nuzzling into Jesse’s side. “Something tells me that both our luck is beginning to change.”  
Jesse smiled, his arm wrapping around Hanzo’s broad shoulders. He pressed a chaste kiss into dark hair, pulling Hanzo close.  
“Yeah, me too.” Jesse sighed, rubbing Hanzo’s arm gently. “We best get some rest, hun. Long day tomorrow.”  
Hanzo hummed in agreement, burrowing further into Jesse’s chest.  
“I’m not going anywhere.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well hell it's been a while  
> i have no idea what this is like since my combination muse/beta/best friend is lost to me so nothing has been checked but a crappy update is better then no update right?  
> certainly better than a cancelled fic lmao


End file.
